12 October 2010
Psalm 5, 6; Jonah 1:1-17a; Acts 26:24-27:8; Luke 8:40-56

Jonah gets a word from the Lord to cry out against the wicked city of Nineveh and flees in the opposite direction. It would appear at this point that the reason might be fear, but that assumption, as we shall see, would be wrong. We don’t know why he is being unfaithful to his call at this juncture in the story. We do, however, know that Jonah is able to sleep through a storm that frightens men who sail on the seas for a living. Recent commentators have suggested that this is due to depression but it seems more likely that Jonah is simply content in the belief that he can run away from God. All on board are crying out to their gods and Jonah is implored to join his voice with theirs until they decide to cast lots to see who is to blame and the lot falls on Jonah, God is sovereign in all things. Jonah admits this is all his fault but he is unwilling to take action himself to deal with the problem, leaving it all in their hands. He is apparently willing to die rather than go on this mission for the Lord. The men don’t want to kill Jonah but finally come to the conclusion they have no choice but first pray to the Lord for forgiveness and then offer worship to Him when the sea becomes calm. Jonah discovers that the Lord isn’t done with him yet.

As Jesus returns from the land of the Gerasenes, with all the uncleanness He has contracted there a leader in the synagogue comes to ask him to come heal his daughter. Whatever scruples he may have had about being clean are out the window if his daughter can be saved. On the way, Jesus is touched by another one who is unclean, the woman with the issue of blood, and yet her uncleanness is taken away by the contact with Jesus and she is healed. When Jesus calls her out for touching Him what was she thinking was the purpose of His request to know? Was He going to be angry with her for doing what was forbidden? Instead, she receives not only healing but also commendation for her faith. Jesus presses on. The leader, according to the law, now should not allow Jesus to enter his home due to the contact with the woman but he is learning that some things are more important than others, people over all. His faith in Jesus is also rewarded.

Agrippa, like Festus and Felix before him, can find no reason for this trial to go forward, Paul has done nothing deserving death. Agrippa acknowledges that the only reason to continue the process is that Paul, as a Roman citizen, has made an appeal to Caesar and therefore he has the right to be heard at the highest level. Can Paul withdraw the appeal at this point? Luke re-inserts himself into the journey here, using the first person plural pronoun “we” to describe the many trials and tribulations on the trip to Rome. His account of the trials is clearly a first-hand accounting, not speculation or hearsay.

The Lord is king for ever and ever;
the nations shall perish from his land.
O Lord, you will hear the desire of the meek;
you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear
to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,
so that those from earth may strike terror no more.